Coach Q&A #2: Icing Injuries, Correcting "Heel Strike"
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filed under:
question-and-answer,
training tips
TriExpert Coach Mark McDonnell has more answers to some training questions you've submitted
Photo: MikeSchinkel | License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
- How long should you ice an injury? How long and how frequent should each icing session be? I sprained my ankle recently and was told to ice it until it gets better. So I've been putting ice in a bag, and have had that wrapped up against my ankle for 20 minutes at a time. Am I doing it right?
- Even better is ice massage. Half fill a small (‹8 oz/250 ml) wax paper cup with water and put it in the freezer. When it's frozen, tear the cup in spiral fashion to expose ½″/1 cm of the ice. (What you're left with is in essence a really big ice cube which you can hold onto without freezing your hand.)
- Rub the afflicted area in a circular motion. Keep a towel handy since there'll be a lot of melting. As you get numb, rub harder! Do sessions of 5-10 minutes as often during the day as you like.
- If you've had a physician's diagnosis of just a sprain, it's typically OK to perform range-of-motion exercises after icing, or even to walk on it as long as you can maintain a normal gait.
- Indeed, quickly returning to normal function is proven to speed recovery. That's why you often see pro athletes getting a shot of ethyl chloride spray—which gets really cold—and returning to play immediately. (Of course, the trainer performing the evaluation and wielding the spray is him or herself a certified professional!)
- How do I stop heel striking? Please don't tell me that I'm heel striking just because that's the way I run. I want to fix this because it's really slowing me down. (Even when I sprint I heel strike.)
- There are several classic "form cues" to deal with this problem (and yes, it is a problem which left uncorrected will eventually lead to injury):
- Foster the sense that you're leaning forward from the ankles.
- Focus on lengthening your back kick.
- Keep your (non-stance) foot close to your butt as you bring it forward.
- At the furthest forward point of your leg swing, be sure to pull your toe up toward your kneecap by contracting the muscles on the outside of your shin.
- Try to "scrape back" powerfully upon footstrike. Imagine you're a tiger hurtling forward by grabbing the earth and thrusting it backwards.
